Stroudsburg borough wants to speak for the trees on PPL's plans

Trees lining the historic streets of Stroudsburg Borough could lose more than a few branches during an upcoming pruning by PPL Electric Utilities, borough officials say.

CHRISTINA TATU

Trees lining the historic streets of Stroudsburg Borough could lose more than a few branches during an upcoming pruning by PPL Electric Utilities, borough officials say.

The utility has proposed removing trees outright throughout the borough to prevent them from interfering with the company's electrical lines, said Stroudsburg Borough Director of Public Works Brian Bond.

"What they are hoping to do is remove any trees they can that are underneath the power lines," he said. "In the arborist community, we call it a 'six-inch prune cut.' You come six inches from the ground, cut, and the tree falls down."

Trees less than 25 feet in height are exempt from the cutting. But many of the taller trees, such as the maples and oaks that are found in the historic district, could be cut down, he said.

Bond was contacted by a representative of PPL's forestry department last Tuesday, who did an initial drive through the area and suggested the tree removal. The removal could include trees in the borough's historic hill district, some in the business district and at the lower end of Stroudsburg, Bond said.

"On Thomas Street, it's pretty much every tree on the south side," he said.

A special meeting has been organized for this Thursday to address the issue.

In the northern end of its coverage area, including Stroudsburg Borough, PPL trims the vegetation around its power lines every five years, said company spokesman Joe Nixon.

"We need to take steps to ensure electric reliability for everyone, while at the same time being sensitive to land owner and municipal concerns," Nixon said, adding the company has about 35,000 miles of power lines throughout the state.

Exactly how a tree is pruned and whether it is entirely removed is determined on a case-by-case basis, he said.

"The main point is trees have to be kept clear of the power lines, and so it's all going to depend on the height of the line, the proximity of the tree to the power lines, the tree species and the growth rate," Nixon said.

"We want to start work soon in Stroudsburg, and so we have been in contact with the Shade Tree Commission and the borough arborist. We are going to consult with them as we move forward," Nixon said Monday.

PPL has stepped up its efforts to keep vegetation clear of its power lines, especially in the wake of major storms like October's Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene in August 2011.

Both storms toppled thousands of trees, leading to widespread power outages in the region. "These past storms have really pointed out the need for really closely monitoring and being pro-active," Nixon said.

For the past several years, PPL has undertaken a lot of clear-cutting around its high-voltage transmission lines, said company spokesman Michael Wood.

The high transmission lines can be thought of as the "interstate highway system," transporting electricity directly from the power plant to local communities. The company is now focusing on clearing vegetation around its distribution lines — the smaller lines connected directly to local businesses and residences, he said.

"These lines have sustained significant damage during the recent storms. They tend to cause large outages that take longer to clean up and repair," Wood said.

PPL has an electric substation near the interborough bridge with lines running up Route 611, Route 191 and into East Stroudsburg, Bond said.

As of Monday, East Stroudsburg and Stroud Township officials were not contacted by PPL about removing any trees.

A PPL contractor is doing some trimming, but there was no word about tree removal, said East Stroudsburg Borough Manager Jim Phillips.

"There has been much research over the years on how to prune and make things work. We spend money and time to plant those trees and they provide shade, oxygen and habitat for wildlife, and are nice to look at," Bond said.

He estimates the trees in the borough's historic district date back to the 1940s and 1950s.